INTERVIEW: Rat Boy

Ikenna Offor chats with Jordan Cardy about new releases, pre-gig routines and how he feels about being labelled a voice of Generation Y

By Ikenna Offor
on Thursday, February 1st, 2018

Considering his cheeky chappy stage persona, I’m pleasantly surprised at how polite and soft-spoken Jordan Cardy (aka Rat Boy) is during our phone conversation. Much like the delightfully abstract lyrics to his oft-rambunctious pop-punk anthems, the 21-year old Essex native comes across as effortlessly engaging and immensely relatable, yet ever so slightly elusive.

IO: What genre of music do you listen to the most?
JC: Mostly hip-hop, to be honest.

IO: Who are some of your favourite artists?
JC: Beastie Boys, The Pharcyde… Y’know, all of the good stuff!

IO: So, I take it you’re a big fan of all things 90s, then?
JC: Yeah, I’ve always been massively influenced by 90s music and skate culture.

IO: What is it about that era that appeals to you?
JC: There’s just something about the vibes from back then.

IO: Your signature sound is a raucous yet cohesive blend of hip-hop, ska and punk influences. Talk about how you developed it…
JC: Mostly by messing around, really. I had a load of hip-hop drum breaks on my computer, which I’d play live bass and guitar over, or mix in weird sound effects, just to see what happened.

IO: So, you’re a bit of an obsessive tinkerer?
JC: I’m not that bad! (laughs) But, yeah, I do tinker.

IO: Tell me about your creative process… Which do you come up with first, lyrics or melodies?
JC: Lyrics. I mostly jot down random ideas on my phone, but sometimes I’ll go through newspaper headlines and write stuff around what I find.

IO: You call out Theresa May rather scathingly on Boiling Point, and Revoution is all about post-Brexit frustration – do you consider yourself a political person?
JC: Yeah, you could say that. If I’m pissed off about a political issue, I’ll definitely talk about it in my music.

IO: You had a big year in 2017 – your debut album, Scum, received a heap load of critical acclaim, and Kendrick Lamar sampled your song Knock, Knock, Knock. Besides those two obvious instances, what were your personal highlights?
JC: The whole year was pretty trippy, to be honest! But finally releasing the album and playing the main stage at Reading Festival were my personal highlights.

IO: The Reading Festival crowd numbers are easily in the tens of thousands – what’s it like having that many people sing your songs back at you?
JC: (Laughs) It’s honestly so weird, man! Take Sportswear, for instance. I can still remember making that song in my bedroom! So, it kinda trips me out when people I don’t know are shouting the lyrics back at me.

IO: What’s your favourite song to play live, and why?
JC: Knock, Knock, Knock, because it’s got a real kick to it. And no matter where we’re playing, the crowd always knows all the words.

IO: Do you and the band have any pre-gig routines?
JC: We mostly just jump around the dressing room, and push each other about to get psyched up. We don’t drink before going onstage though.

IO: Has that always been the case, or was it something you found didn’t work for you?
JC: I once threw up just before a gig, then thought to myself, “Maybe I shouldn’t do that anymore” (laughs). I mean, it was hard at first, ‘cos I’d get really nervous before going onstage. But, I’ve found that I mess up less when I’m sober.

IO: Thanks to all the critical acclaim for Scum, you’ve been widely touted as a voice of your generation. Do you feel any pressure to live up to that label?
JC: (Laughs) That’s honestly such a weird thing for people to say. I just make music, y’know? I guess it’s cool that they say that, but it’s also weird.

IO: You’ve also developed good rapports with O.G rockers like Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Tim Armstrong along the way. How did those relationships come about?
JC: I just reached out to them and asked if they’d listen to my music. It’s still trippy though, ‘cos I’m such a huge fan of theirs.

IO: What does 2018 hold for Rat Boy?
JC: We’re about to kick off our biggest tour to date, so I’m excited for that! I’ve also been sitting on a load of new music that I’d like to put out, as well as a few videos. All I released last year was two singles and the album, so now I’ve got all this new stuff that’s ready to go.

IO: Any release dates in the near future?
JC: I’ve got a mini-LP, called Civil Disorder, that’s coming out on the 25th of January.

IO: Have you got any collaborations in the works?
JC: Yeah, I was recently in Canada, and worked with quite a few hip-hop producers out there. But I can’t say anymore than that just yet.

IO: Would one of those producers perchance happen to be Kaytranada?
JC: (Laughs) Good guess, man! Yeah, I did some stuff with him. He’s sick!

IO: I take it you’re already cooking up album two, then?
JC: I think I’ve got that pretty much written, to be honest. Again, I can’t really say too much about it just yet. But, besides the mini-LP, I’ve also got a digital release coming in a few months time. I’d also like to do a covers album.

IO: What sort of covers?
JC: I’d like to take some stuff from The Ruts, Ghost Town and Bad Brains, and mix them with hip-hop drumbeats. Just to see what happens.

IO: On that note, what producers do you look up to?
JC: Frank Dukes, Kaytranada, Mario C and Mark Ronson, to name a few.

IO: Is touring the States also on the cards in 2018?
JC: I’d really like to, ‘cos we’ve never played out there. I’m chatting to a few people at the moment though, so we’ll see what happens.

IO: You play Newcastle’s O2 Academy next month – what can your Geordie fans look forward to?
JC: I’ll be playing a couple of unreleased songs, and I’ve also got some new Scum merch clothing items. There’ll also be CDs of [the new mini-LP] Civil Disorder, which you can only get at the shows.

IO: To end on a totally generic note: if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
JC: MF Doom. I think that’d be pretty mad!